Quick-throw electric switch



E. RITZ, In.. QurcK THnow euacmc swncn.

APPLICATION FILED APR29| |918.

Patented'J une 7, MIZL ZU/@nfof' SWL@ (212,5 JV//ory v III.

EMIL RITZ, JR., F CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR 'IO THE HISiEY-WOILF MACHINE COMPANY, OF CINCINNATI, CHIC, CORPORATION 0F OHIO.

\QUICKTEROW ELECTRIC SWITCH( Patented June 7, 1921.

Application led April 29, 1918. Serial No. 231,329.

i To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, EMIL RITZ, Jr., a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton andStateof Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Quick- Throw Electric Switches, o which the fol- .lowing is a full, clear, and exact description, reference beingvhad to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specifi? cation.

My invention relates to quick throw electric switches particularly where adapted for use with portable electric tools. In lthe switches of the quick throw type with which I am familiar, the structural details are such as to result in complicated and ineffective devices. The opening and closing of the switches have not, so far as I am informed, been made in a straight line. The.

devices have not: had any strength vto the throw, and have not stood up well.

It is the objectv of my invention to provide-a new quick throw switch wherein the motionsare all in a straight line, and but few parts yare involved in the throwing of the switch mechanism. It is also my object to get away from a multitude of small parts and make the switch throwing parts large, so as to give Vlong )gernlife to the parts and permit of stronger and more positive action. By making the throw in aI straight line the closing ,andy opening of the switch is more abrupt than in knife blade switches of the types with which Iamfamiliar.

Other various features of convenience in operationand adaptability to various uses, will be pointed out; below, and these objects and advantages together. lwith those above f noted I accomplish:by that certain construction, andarrangement of parts to be hereinafter `more specifically-pointed out and i claimed. f

lfligurel is aj longitudinal section through the centerline offthe rswitchshowing :ther

same. in retracted ori l open, lposition;v

"italien yfrom the *operators end thereof.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view. of the switch ctioilbtaken onrthe line tend elevatic the .send-1..:

point bearing member which is thrown or retracted by the mechanism of my invention. L

The switch asY shown in the drawings is adapted to be mounted on some sort of portable electric tool and may be used as a handle for such tool.

lThe casing of the switch comprises a long tubular portion 1, which is secured to a head 2'by means of a set screw 3. The head is divided into three parts, a socket i to receive the tube, va chamber 5 for the pawls and a chamber 6 for the switch points.

In the chamber 6 are the two switch terminals 7 and 8, which` are to be connected to the service and motor. When connection is made between, these two terminals,

thev wiring is so arranged that the current will be turned on in the motor that operates the tool, since one of the service vwires 4 circular movement switch in which a'con-fl tact member slidesI over the terminal but f ton or plate.

The tubular'contact member (Fig'.; 5) has-v i a flanged end 12' at the rear,"andlies ffin1a f larger tube 13, ywhich slides inthe outerl tube main .portion of the "tube`-v 213; "'Around. the n for-ward end-13a so as to-fs'iiugly"jo'urnalpthe,Y i f tubularcontactLinember,l andthe' flanged end' of the said tubular member lies withinithe ico tube'wlbetween it and the outertube: 1 is jk.

tube '13. 1

is held in place with the spring compressed until released by striking up a pawl, whereupon the tube 1,3 will spring violently back with the thickened head thereof contacting with the flanged end of the tubular member and drawing it suddenly away from contact position.

Running through the tube 13 and the tubular member 9 is a central rod 16. At the rear end of this rod is a bifurcated head 17 which bears against the rear end yof the tube 13. A collar 18 is mounted on this rod to form one terminal bearing point for a coiled spring 19. This spring bears on its other end against the flanged end 12 of the tubular contact bearing member.

Upon thrusting forward the rod 16, its head will move also the tube 13. It will also compress the spring 19, so long as the tubular member is held against movement. This forward movement of the rod will thus compress the two springs which work the switch, the spring 19 the forward mover and the spring 14 the rearward or opening mover. There are required-two pawls, one vto hold the tubular member against forward movement luntil the spring 19 is compressed and one to hold the tube 13 against rearward movement until the moment that it is desired to open the switch, and means for raising the pawls at the proper time.

The pawl 20 serves to hold thev tubular member 9 in retracted position. Itis mounted in the pawl chamber and spring-pressed toward engaging position by the spring 21. The tubular member has a slot 22 in which the pawl engages when retracted and in open position. The pawl 23 serves to retain the tube 13. 1t is located in the chamber 5 and is spring-pressed by the spring 24. The

slot 25 in the tube 13 provides the Lengagement means for this pawl. l,

The rod 16 carries two studs 26 and 27. They both slide in slots 28, 28a, in the tubular member provided for this purpose, and also have clearance slots 29, 29, in the tube 13. Upon forward movement ,of the rod, after the spring 19 has beeny duly compressed, the stud 26 strikes up the pawl 20 and permits the tubular member to spring forward into contact. The tube 13 will at such position of the rod already come into position to be locked by the pawl 23.

When the rod 16 is brought back, the stud 27 ystrikes up the pawl 23, so that the tube 13 snaps strongly back, drawing the tubular member with it, and out of contact position.

As can be seen, the parts of this mechanism now described are large and permit of the use of strong and heavy springs. The action can thus be very quick and positive.

llt remains to'describe the operating finger. llt will be noted that `the rod 16 has a bifurcated head 17. Tn this head is pivoted a link 30. Mounted in the end of the outer tub@ l is a hollow plug 31 that extends in- Wardly withl alpair of arms 32. A bifurcated finger piece 33 is pivoted between the arms 32 by means of a pin 34, and .between the parts of the finger -piece is pivoted the link 30. This construction so operates that when the finger piece, which extends out through the tube 1 isk thrust forward, this motion will move the rod 16 forward on a straight line, and vice versa when it is Withdrawn. A spring 3.5 may be used to help the quick retractive movement of the rod 16 upon the release of thefinger piece, but it has not been found to be absolutely necessary.

For 'operation with such electric tools as portable reamers or drills, the necessity of instantaneous opening of the switch upon striking a hard place, to avoid destroying the reaming. or drilling tool, makes it better to have the finger piece free to move rearwardly when it is released, thereby requiring the operator to keep his hand over the sald piece while using the device. 1n other tools, such as grinders or drilling machines, where the necessity of frequent release of the switch closer is not so necessary, a simple catch for the finger piece may be provided. This catch is shown in the drawings, but may be entirely omitted when desired.

The two arms 32 of the plug 31 in the end of the tube 1 are not made of the same thickness, so as to leave a space between the finger piece and one of the arms (Fig. 3). A. pin 36 passes through alined holes 37, 38, in the plug. On the pivot pin 34, in the space left by the slight offsettmg of the piece 33, as noted at the beginning of this paragraph, is simplyheld a slotted plate 39 the slot of which is set over the pm 34. The end of A this plate is formed with a hook 40 which lies in the path ofthe head of the pin 41 which is used to pivot the link 30 to the bifurcated finger piece.` The plate is also connected to the pin 36 which enters through the lug, as noted. i hen the fin er piece is thrust forward to close the switch, the pivoty pin therein rides under the hooked end of the plate, which plate will then hold the pin against moving back again in the same arc in which it came, because of a slight resiliency of the metal of the hookan`d such lay as is necessarily left in the plate 39. E. slight inward push on the exposed end of the in 36 will, however, move the hook slight y forward which will release the finger piece and permit theopening of the switch.

This latching mechanism can be removed, as is obvious, without changing the device in any other manner.

1t is believed that the various `mechanisms in the switch are now fully described, and their operation sufficiently noted. llt is not desired that the claims that follow be given a narrow construction because of my failure to oint out alternative mechanical expedlents which could be substituted for those described, without departing from the kspirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim as new and desire to secure by Ilet ters Patent, is

1. In a quick throw electrical switch, a sliding switch closing member, a spring bearing directly on said member, a member adapted to engage the switch closing member and draw itout of closing position, a spring bearing directly on said engaging member, pawls to retain the switch closing member and the engaging members therefor in position, and means for compressing the springs, and releasing the pawls after the springs are compressed, and an independent latch for controlling the opening movement of the closing member, for the purpose described.

2. In a quick throw electrical switch, an outer and an inner tube, a rod Within the inner tube, a spring for the outer tube, a spring for the inner tube wound around the rod, means on the rod for moving the outer tube for compressing the first named spring and 4for compressing the spring for the inner tube, pawls to hold the outer and inner tubes, and means on the rod to trip the pawl for the inner tube on its forward movement, and the pawl for the outer tube on its rearward movement.

3. An electric switch comprising a casing having a tubular body and a head containing electrical terminals, an outer tube within the body, an inner tube carrying a contact within the head, a rod, pawls for retaining the outer tube and the circuit closing tube, means on the rod to trip the pawls, a spring for the outer tube, a spring for the inner tube, said rod adapted to move the outer tube for compressing the iirst named spring and to compress the last named spring against the circuit closing tube.

4. An electrical switch comprising a casing, an outer longitudinally sliding member in the casing, a spring around saidkmember, and abutments for the spring to cause its compression upon the forward movement of said member, a pawl adapted to engage the said member after compression of the spring, an intermediate longitudinally sliding member within the outer member, switch closing contacts on the said member, an inner member longitudinally sliding within the said intermediate member, a spring around the inner member adapted to bear on the intermediate member, a pawl for holding the intermediate member against movement during the compression of the said spring, and pawl tripping means on the inner member to trip the said pawls, one at the close of the forward movement thereof and one at the beginning of the rearward movement thereof, for the purpose described.

5. An electric switch comprising a tubular body portion, telescoping longitudinally lmoving members within said tubular bodyportion, means for holding each member against movement, an actuating member having means to release for movement the othermembers, one upon a forward movement thereof, and one upon a rearward movement thereof, a spring for each member, a pivoted finger piece within said body portion, said finger piece being pivotally connected to the said actuating means.

6. An electric switch comprising in part a body portion, three telescoping longitudinally moving members within said body'portion, latches for two of the members, the third of said members adapted to release for movement the other two latched members, one upon a forward movement thereof, and one upon a rearward movement thereof, a slot in said body portion, a pivoted finger piece within said body portion an-d extending through said slot, said finger piece being pivotally connected to the said releasing member, and a latch inserted through the end of the body portion for locking the finger piece at the end of its forward movement. n

7. An electric switch comprising in part a body portion, three telescoping longitudinally moving members within said body portion, latches for twoof the members, the third of said members adapted to release for movement the other two latch members, one upon a forward movement thereof, and one upon a rearward movement thereof, and means for manually actuating the said third member.

8. An electric switch comprising in part a body portion, three telescoping longitudinally moving members within said bodyy portion, latches for two of the members, the third of said members adapted to release for movement the other two latch members, one upon a forward movement thereof, and one upon a rearward movement thereof.

EMIL Rrrz, JR. 

